Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-02-04
A North Carolina Story.
North Carolina Balletin. ]

North Carolina Dullctml
In 1914 a man by the name OF
Mortimer moved to Cherokee oun-
ty, n. c., from Virginia. lie was
a wealthy man, owning number
of slaves, and said to be a good
man. We wish we could say as
much for the mother. When the
war broke out all of his property
was swept away-everythlng he
possessed, and he died just before
the surrender, leaving his wife and
two little sons. The boys were
about eight and ten years of age
when their father died, and with
proper care and training they
would have undoubtedly made
good and useful citizens; but with
such a mother, we will ask, what
better could have been expected OF
them2 She taught them to hate
everybody, and everybody was
their enemy. She made them go
armed, and when one of them was
fined for carrying concealed wea'
pons, she paid the fine imposed,
bought him pair of pistols, and
told him to we ar them buckled
around his waist, and use them
when he thought proper. Henry
and Edward grew up to be young
men. Henry had loaned his broth
er Edward $50 or more, and often
he had asked his brother for it, but
was always put off with some
trilllng excuse. He went over to
see his brother about It. They
were living on the same farm, but
not in the same house, ard he was
heard to remark before he left
"that he would have his money or
blood" and he got bloOd. They
met in front OF their mOtbt rs house,
and were standing within ten feet
of each other. Their mot her see
ing them standing there qu Irrellng,
walked out of the house an d stood
between them. The convt rsation
that took place between them was
never known. Suddenly there
rang out on the cool, quiet ir the
report of a pistol, and Edward
Mortimer fell dead at his bro theirs
feet, the ball having penetrated his
forehead killing him instantly, and
in his hand was an open knife
The mother was standing uetweer
them, and had her right hand NJ
to her head, putting under he T cal
a stray lock of hair. When thu
pistol was fired the blll took OF
the forefnger Of her right ha nd
barely missing her temple. Bo Il
were married men and ha d familie s
Henry Mortimer was ART ested, trie'
and acquitted, his mot her being
tie only witness in the ca SO. And
now comes the strangest part OF
this story-stranger than felton,
Henry Mortimer is veritable
modern Cain. He has not a hair
on him from the crown of his head
to the soles of his feet. We have
seen and talked with him, and
know whereof we speak. He is
about six and half feet high
very stout; conyerses splendidlyr
although somewhat reticent in his
manner at first appeara nee. Short
ly after he was acquitted, and just
after he retired, which was between
nine and ten o'clock, he was visited
by his dead brother. He could sec
and hear him, but he himself coult
not move or speak. He lay rs II
dead, in a passive state. lie haC
beautiful auburn hair and beard
which was his pride. His brothe
visited him the second time, ant
reached ont his skeleton arm ant
bony fingers and commence d pluck
ing his hair, one by one, fr ON hi
head ; then his eyebrows, ey clashes
beard and so on, until he ha'
} plucked every hair off his entir
body. 1t was not done in on
night, but was kept up from nigh
} to night for ab nut three mol'ths.-
He is wanderer on the eartl
and travels at night. He is th
greatest curiosity we have eve
seen. lie has the supposed mar
of Cain.